TravTalk India Online Magazine
In an exclusive conversation with TRAVTALK, Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary of Tourism (Minister), Republic of the Philippines, outlines the country’s strategy to tap into India’s outbound potential & shares plans to elevate the visitor experience for Indians.
Nisha Verma
Visiting India as part of the delegation of Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., President, Republic of the Philippines, Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary of Tourism (Minister), discussed how the bilateral relations between the two nations are improving. “Tourism is identified as a key focus of this elevated partnership. Thus, we are very excited, especially as it comes at the heels of our President’s announcement of visa-free access for Indian travellers going into the Philippines, and the reciprocal announcement of Prime Minister Modi for free e-visas for Filipinos visiting India. It is also a wonderful preparation for the direct connection between India and the Philippines, which will commence on 1 October.”
Direct flights
The announcement of the 14-day visa-free entry for Indians by the Philippines in June was followed by Air India announcing a 5-time weekly service between Delhi and Manila from 1 October. Now, Frasco is optimistic about a surge in Indian tourist numbers. “In 2024, the Philippines received around 79,000 Indian visitors. In the context of the 6 million Indian nationals that travelled to the ASEAN region, we are eager to grow these numbers further, especially given that the Philippines is a destination like no other, with over 7,600 islands, immense biodiversity and a host of rich cultural and heritage experiences that are available for any type of traveller.”
“We view these Air India flights to the Philippines with great optimism, especially that our president has also announced intentions to further expand connectivity, not just from Delhi to Manila, but also from other cities in India to other islands in the Philippines,” she added.
Challenges & promises
Frasco identified two major past obstacles in attracting Indian visitors. “Two hurdles — the lack of a direct connection and the non-liberalised visa process at the time. With these two very critical components of tourism for the Philippines having been unlocked, we are ready to receive more Indian tourists to the country.” She added that the Philippines boasts a wide variety of offerings.
MICE & biz focus
On the subject of India’s growing outbound MICE segment, Frasco mentioned that the Philippines’ MICE Plus programme under the Tourism Promotions Board provides specific incentives for group events. “These include facilitation of preparations for arrival, coordination with local government units, as well as sponsorships of events to make the MICE event as unforgettable as it can be.”
India a priority
While South Korea and the US remain the top two source markets for the Philippines, India’s growing relevance is notable. “We are looking at India, recognising that it has one of the biggest outbound traveller numbers in the world and offers high value in terms of tourism spending and yield,” Frasco underlined.
She added that despite the previous lack of connectivity and visa ease, Indian travellers showed strong intent. “We had already received a good demographic of Indian travellers from 25 to 44 years old, staying an average of nearly 10 nights with many of them professionals and a repeat visit rate of over 66 per cent.”
Targeted marketing
The Philippines is aligning its marketing strategy to better target the Indian market. “We are engaging in joint marketing promotions, especially with the private sector. Together with Air India, we are planning a big launch for the inaugural flight and a familiarisation trip for travel and tourism stakeholders. We intend to have a targeted marketing and promotional approach to India.”
Catering to Indians
Acknowledging the culinary requirements of Indian travellers, Frasco said, “We fully intend to collaborate with our private stakeholders, as well as our culinary industry, to make sure that the offerings meet the specific tastes of Indians.”
Highlighting the government’s Filipino Brand of Service Excellence Programme, she added, “It ensures world-class hospitality that is authentically Filipino, as it is a programme that stands on the foundation of our values, one of which is cultural sensitivity.”
